Americans Changing Attitudes Towards Sports Betting

The days of winks and nods when it comes to sports betting are all but over. As legalization issues are hammered out across the United States, sports betting is becoming even more engrained in mainstream culture.

We have already discussed the mainstream infiltration, but exactly how is it translating in terms of perception among the masses across the country? A new study from GlobalWebIndex and The Action Network provides some much-needed insight on that. Let’s just say that the findings are fascinating.

Majority of Adults Are on Board with Legalization

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the report is this: 75 percent of adults aged 21 or older are in support of the legalization of sports betting. Among sports fans, the number jumps to a whopping 90 percent.

The numbers are based on a survey which the two entities conducted in April 2019. More than 3,000 internet users across the US were polled, including over 1,000 sports fans aged 21-64.

Support in this range has been found elsewhere as well, including in this recent research report from the American Gaming Association.

The Chief Research Officer of GlobalWeb Index, Jason Mander, shared his take on the study’s findings.

“The repeal of PASPA has opened up huge new opportunities for brands, but so too has it brought a range of new possibilities for sports fans. The results are striking. Not only do sports fans accept and approve of legalization, they are clearly very excited about it and willing to embrace sports betting wholeheartedly.”

Other notable findings from the study include that six in 10 sports fans find themselves more likely to catch a game on the tube if they have money at stake on the outcome.

Since sports betting remains one of the biggest draws for live TV in the cord-cutting eras, that’s a huge point of interest for broadcast networks and their streaming counterparts, not to mention the various leagues and teams.

Action Network CEO Patrick Keane also shared some comments on the results of the study.

“We’re encouraged by the findings,” he said. “As the sports betting industry matures in the United States, we look forward to playing a critical role in shaping its future by first understanding and then super-serving sports fans.”

However, we should keep in mind nothing is ever a given when it comes to public opinion. Surveys that poll the general public are bound to reach different conclusions than surveys geared specifically to sports fans.

A BettingUSA.com survey conducted in June, for example, found weak support for legalization in Colorado. The general trend at the national level certainly seems to be swinging towards support for legal sports betting, but now is not the time for stakeholders to begin taking things for granted.

It’s OK to Talk About Sports Betting. Really.

Despite the overall changes in perception, there’s still a hesitancy to talk about it in some corners. While the media industry evolves towards embracing sports betting, the NFL continues to operate with a “don’t ask, don’t tell” mindset.

Despite that, more and more broadcasters are becoming emboldened by the changing times. ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt is among those who have never been shy talking about betting, but he has also seen the shift of late. He shared some insight on that during a recent SI Media Podcast appearance.

“It’s just less taboo. It just means people like you and me can talk about it more, but I don’t talk about it more than I did when we started. I just looked at gambling as I was gonna be honest about it because I knew people did it and it just felt like any kind of icky connotation was just silly. And clearly that’s where we are now,” Van Pelt said.

“The teams are going to put gambling kiosks in their stadiums and set up book if they can. I never believed that this was going to create a new a new generation of gamblers. They already are and they already exist. All this does is, we don’t have to feel like we’re in the back room of the party like we’re the lepers. Now it’s out and on the main stage on every network. We got Rovell tweeting about it, so that’s good times.”

Chatter about sports betting will continue to grow as it becomes even more accepted, and we may not have to wait too long for that to become a reality. Back in May, a study from Bleacher Report found that 2 out of 3 sports fans age 21-34 find it socially acceptable to bet on sports. This is a key sign pointing to the longevity of sports betting with the younger crowd still on board.

Bleacher Report Chief Executive Howard Mittman put it this way:

“I think younger consumers relate to the gamification of all things – not just Fortnite, EA Sports and madden. If you look at Las Vegas, younger consumers don’t use slot machines; they are more apt to bet on sports.”

So, What Happens Now?

When it comes to sports betting, the future really is now. Last year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling opened the floodgates, and there’s simply no turning back at this point. Green lights have been given in many states since then and there will be more to follow.

That will naturally lead to more of everything when it comes to the betting market. There will be more places to wager, whether we’re talking about in-person, online, or mobile. Programming and content geared towards sports bettors will continue to become more accessible to the masses, even if some leagues prefer to keep it at arm’s length for the time being.

While not all of the nearly 80 percent of US adults who agree with the legalization will become active sports bettors, that huge number still confirms the market potential for the industry as a whole. The growth has been fascinating to watch thus far, but it may be a good time to say that “we ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Along with that, attitudes will continue to evolve on the topic. While not all will approve or be on board when it comes to sports betting, it’s looking like the majority will be. That means in the not too distant future, we can all leave our winks and nods at the door when the topic comes up.